Simon glanced around at the minimalist yet classy decor of Katherine's apartment.
He plopped down on a leather couch, eyes glued to the TV broadcasting the lottery results.
Katherine was upset with him—or at least, that's what Simon figured—since he'd had to cancel their vacation plans.
In front of him, the Ghost system's screen flashed clearly:
[MISSION IN PROGRESS]
Even though he'd already scrapped his plans to leave the city, the mission wasn't over.
'Damn, I guess this is permanent,' he thought, furrowing his brow.
Katherine emerged from the kitchen, carrying a pitcher of juice and two glasses, which she set on the table before sitting beside him.
"So?" Katherine started, her eyes fixed on the TV. "Are you gonna tell me what's going on with you?"
Her gaze was steady, brimming with curiosity, though her voice carried a hint of frustration.
'I can't keep putting this off…' Simon thought, letting out an exaggerated sigh.
"You remember my dreams?" he asked, instantly regretting how obvious the question was.
Katherine whipped her head toward him, fuming.
"What? How could I forget? You've been acting like a psych ward patient because of them," she shot back.
Simon nodded.
'Yeah, I deserve that after asking something so dumb,' he thought.
On the TV, the announcer was starting to reveal the winning lottery numbers.
Simon pulled out his ticket and placed it on the table.
"I'm going to tell you the whole truth now," he declared.
Katherine crossed her legs, leaning on them with her elbows.
"Go ahead, I'm waiting," she said, her eyes firm but laced with curiosity.
Despite everything, she wanted to believe her best friend.
Before he could start, a message from the system popped up in front of him.
It was Clara.
—What do you think you're doing? This is just between us.
In that moment, Simon felt an invisible force grip his shoulders, the pain freezing him for a few seconds.
A chill ran down his spine. Simon clenched his fists, trying to shake off Clara's icy voice echoing in his head. 'No way I'm letting her control this conversation,' he thought.
'I'll play along with your damn missions and selfish demands, Clara,' Simon thought, knowing the redhead could read his mind through the system. 'But I'm done lying to Kath.'
A cold presence brushed against his ear, whispering.
"You disappoint me, Simon…"
It was Clara's voice, audible only to him.
Her presence was constant, inescapable, but he wouldn't let it stop him from making his own choices.
After a brief silence, Katherine spoke up.
"Well? What's this truth you wanted to share?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Simon let out a nervous chuckle before starting.
'Please, please don't think I'm crazy,' he pleaded internally, though even he wasn't entirely sure if everything he'd experienced lately was real.
"Alright, listen…" he began, sighing to quell the shivers running through him.
"A ghost named Clara has been following me for six years, ever since I moved into my apartment. I didn't know about her until a year ago when the dreams started. She can communicate with me because I've spent so much time there, in the same place where she was murdered."
Simon paused, taking a sip of juice, oblivious to Katherine watching him with growing concern.
"Now I get these weird messages popping up now and then. She makes me do things for rewards or under threats, which is why I can't leave the city and…" He grabbed the lottery ticket, showing it to her before pointing at the TV.
"This is one of the rewards. That's how I know I'm gonna win for sure," he finished, turning to Katherine, relieved to have spilled everything.
Across from him, his best friend was frantically scrolling through her phone, her brow furrowed.
"Kath?" Simon asked. "Did you hear anything I just said?"
She waved a hand, signaling him to wait, while her other hand typed furiously on her phone.
Finally, she seemed to find what she was looking for and put the phone to her ear.
"Hello? Central Hospital?"
Simon lunged at her, realizing what she was doing, trying to grab her phone.
"I'm not crazy, Katherine!" he said, his eyes trembling as he held her against the couch. "Please… let's just watch the results. If I don't win the lottery, I'll go wherever you want."
Katherine's cheeks flushed for a moment, caught off guard by their sudden position.
But she quickly regained her composure, speaking into the phone.
"No, it was a false alarm, really sorry…" she said before hanging up, then looked at Simon with concern.
"When you lose…" she began, as if certain of the outcome, "will you let me help you?"
Her hand rested on Simon's cheek, the warmth of her fingers grounding him.
"I swear," he replied, closing his eyes.
"Alright…" Katherine said with a sympathetic smile, then placed both hands on his chest.
'Huh? What? What's happening?' Simon's mind raced with nerves and confusion, unsure how to react.
"Kath…?" he whispered, hoping she'd clarify.
Instead, she gave him a gentle push.
"You're heavy," she said, looking away with a hint of embarrassment.
"Oh, right, sorry!" Simon scrambled off, sitting beside her.
Both of them stared at the TV, flustered and blushing from the moment, but still on edge with anticipation.
Each number announced on the TV brought them closer to victory.
That's when it hit Katherine.
The winning numbers were called.
Two million dollars.
The numbers were '7, 12, 19, 25, 33, 40'.
Katherine froze, her eyes darting from the ticket to Simon, searching for a logical explanation. But seeing the fear etched on his face, something in her shifted. She grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly.
"I believe you…" she whispered, both of them falling silent as they stared at the winning ticket.
As the TV droned on with cheerful lottery ads, a faint chill crept up Simon's spine.
The Ghost system flickered in his vision, unprompted, displaying a new message:
[MISSION UPDATED: SEE YOU ON THE NIGHTCLUB… OR ELSE].
'What the hell, Clara?' Simon thought, his heart pounding as Katherine's grip tightened, oblivious to the ghostly threat now looming over them both.